Removable Cap for Dual-Function Smoking Article
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smoking articles, both conventional lit-end cigarettes and heated smoking articles, pose challenges in safe disposal due to high temperatures and ignition risks, necessitating a solution that facilitates both use and disposal without separate components.
Innovation Solution
A smoking article with a removable cap that can be coupled to both ends, acting as a mouthpiece during use and a thermal insulator/disposer after use, utilizing thermally insulating and phase-changing materials to extinguish or cool the heat source, thereby reducing ignition propensity and allowing safe handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate disposal component is added to shield and cool the heat source, then disposal safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as a mouthpiece during smoking and as a disposal shield after use. The same component provides both inhalation functionality and heat source shielding, eliminating the need for separate disposal components and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining disposal safety
2Reliability
If the heat source temperature is reduced during use, then safety is improved, but aerosol generation effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into distinct functional zones: the heat source operates at high temperature to generate aerosol, while the cap provides thermal insulation and contains phase change materials that activate only during disposal. This spatial and temporal segmentation allows high-temperature aerosol generation during use while ensuring safety during disposal through passive cooling mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
Phase change materials (such as paraffin wax or salt hydrates) are incorporated into the cap to absorb excess heat during disposal through melting or phase transition. This passive cooling mechanism reduces heat source temperature during disposal without affecting aerosol generation effectiveness during use, as the phase change materials remain inactive at operating temperatures
3Adaptability or versatility
If a removable cap design is implemented for dual functionality, then versatility is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to additional manipulation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The cap and rod are designed with asymmetric coupling features that provide tactile feedback and intuitive alignment. The cap can only be coupled to the rod in the correct orientation, eliminating the need for users to think about orientation and making the dual-functionality operation intuitive rather than complex
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The removable cap effectively shields and cools the heat source, ensuring safe disposal by reducing temperature and ignition risk, eliminating the need for separate disposal components and enhancing user safety.
Implementation Method 1
The removable cap comprises a thermally insulating material to thermally isolate the combustible heat source when the removable cap is coupled to the second end of the rod
Implementation Method 2
The removable cap further comprises one or more phase change materials that, when coupled to the second end of the rod: undergo a phase change to consume heat energy produced by the heat source
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
A smoking article (10, 100) is formed from two component parts. These parts are a rod (20, 120) comprising an aerosol-forming substrate (55, 155) and a removable cap (30, 130). The removable cap (30, 130) can be coupled to the rod (20,120)in two configurations. In a first configuration, the removable cap (30, 130) is coupled to a first end (21, 121) of the rod (20,120) and a heat source (50, 150) located at or near a second end of the rod (20,120) heats the aerosol-forming substrate (55, 155) to generate an inhalable aerosol. In a second configuration, the removable cap is coupled to the second end (22, 122) of the rod (20,120) and at least substantially covers the heat source (50, 150). The smoking article (10, 100) is arranged in the second configuration for disposal.